


While You Slept, I Fell in Love

by bookishvice



Series: While You Slept!Au [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Movie Fusion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-19 10:54:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3607479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookishvice/pseuds/bookishvice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jongin spends his days in a booth selling train tickets and dreams of the day when he’ll buy one and travel himself. He also dreams of the handsome stranger who comes by every Tuesday at 7am.</p>
            </blockquote>





	While You Slept, I Fell in Love

**Author's Note:**

> The original movie is called While You Were Sleeping. I love Sandra Bullock movies, so doing this was extra fun! But I stressed out over this like you wouldn’t believe asdfghjkl I did tweak the plot events a bit, but you still get trains, Sukai, and cute cute feels <3
> 
> All the gold stars in the freaking world to L, my beta. This fic reached 100% because of you! The squeak squeak is all yours lol

It’s a quiet Christmas morning and King’s Cross Station is just beginning to stir to life. They’re not expecting much traffic since most people will spend it at home opening presents with family or friends. However, a holiday does not stop routine. Just like every other Tuesday for the last few weeks, at precisely seven fifteen am, the tall man by the name of Chanyeol Park—with the wide smile, pushed back hair, and big ears—stands on the other side of Jongin’s counter waiting for his train ticket.  
  
The first time Jongin saw Chanyeol the man slid a black Master Card over the counter and asked for a round-trip ticket to Paris. The second time, Chanyeol smiled, gave him the card and asked for a round-trip to Amsterdam. The third time, he was talking on the phone, but Chanyeol still winked as he passed Jongin his card, and asked for a round-trip to Brussels. Every time an exciting new destination, to places Jongin had only ever dreamed of. No one could blame him for falling a little bit in love with the handsome stranger even when the only words they had exchanged were “A ticket to?”, the destination, “Have a nice trip” and “Thank you.”  
  
The machine spits out the two tickets bringing Jongin back to the present and the reality of his racing heart. Jongin grabs the tickets—a nearby trip to Cambridge this time—checks if they are correct, and is about to hand them over when the man says, “Merry Christmas.”  
  
Jongin is so accustomed to their four-phrase exchange that when new words are suddenly added into the conversation his mind goes blank. He literally freezes, hand extended over the counter, tickets slowly slipping from his fingers. The script has changed and he is on stage, under the spotlight unable to remember his next line.  
  
The man grins showing way too many teeth, seemingly aware of Jongin’s predicament. He grabs the tickets from Jongin’s static fingers before they fall onto the floor. “Thank you. Again, Merry Christmas.”  
  
Jongin watches the way Chanyeol’s coat moves across his broad shoulders as he walks away. There’s a whimper lodged in his throat that he’s grateful never came out. It’s embarrassing enough that he gaped like a fish out of water in front of the man of his dreams. _Oh god_. Why didn’t he respond? He feels like an idiot now.  
  
The sound of chair wheels comes from his right and Jongin tenses. Squeak…squeak squeak. It’s never a good sound to hear. “Merry Christmas to you too. Nice coat. Makes you look sexy like Sherlock. You’re gorgeous. I love you.”  
  
Jongin swivels his own chair to the side and frowns at his best friend. The tall, skinny boy is dressed in navy slacks, white long-sleeved button-up shirt, and a gray pinstripe waistcoat. But unlike Jongin’s, Sehun’s uniform is all rumpled, like he slept on it. _Again_.  
  
“Those are all the things you could’ve said in response,” Sehun explains. “Instead, you chose the creepy approach, breathed heavily and stared with your mouth open until he ran away.”  
  
With a sigh, Jongin reaches out to unroll the sleeves pushed up Sehun’s forearms before their manager comes. Zitao is very strict with uniform protocol. “I know, I know! But how to form words when perfection is speaking to you? For a moment there I couldn’t even remember my own name or my purpose in life.”  
  
Sehun rolls his eyes and lets Jongin fix his other sleeve. “First of all, no one is perfect. Second, your name is Jongin and your purpose is to get laid by that fine piece of man. Third, no one is perfect.”  
  
“You said that already.”  
  
“I just want the message to get through your thick skull,” Sehun says. “If only you’d stop putting him on a pedestal, you would be able to talk to him like a normal person. Well…semi-normal. You’ll never be normal.” Jongin pinches his arm and Sehun yelps. “Anyways, who knows what big, ugly secrets this guy has behind that nice smile and distractingly hot body? He could be a three-balled mutant with a kink for trains for all you know.”  
  
Jongin pinches him harder and Sehun pulls his arm away, preferring to fix the sleeves himself than to suffer under Jongin’s hands. “Which is exactly why you need to get to know him!” Sehun rubs at his arm. “Ow. That really hurt you idiot.”  
  
“I will talk to him…one day.” Jongin groans and smashes his face onto his hands. This sucked. Why did he have to be so shy? Why did meeting new people always have to be so complicated for him? Why, why, why.  
  
Sehun snorts. “That’s what you said last week. Look, you have a kink for trains too. Only difference is you’ve never taken one. You need to get to know this man and have him take you on his travels with you. Have hot, kinky, train sex.”  
  
Blindly reaching out with a hand, Jongin tries to hit Sehun, but the other evades him this time rolling away.  
  
“Anyways, enough about you, more about me,” Sehun says, rolling back in. Squeak squeak. “I know I said I would sit at home and do the pathetic Christmas movie marathon with you, but I managed to get a hot date for tonight.”  
  
Jongin raises his head, a blank look in his eyes. “You’re going on one of your one-night stand dates on Christmas? What the hell is wrong with you?”  
  
“What the hell is wrong with _you_?” Sehun snipes back. “It’s been two months since you’ve been thirsting over your _travel prince_ and you don’t even have his phone number. Life is too short, hyung. You should enjoy it while you can, like I do. So, can you please do me a solid and cover my night shift since I actually have plans?”  
  
“Hey, I have plans!”  
  
Sehun shakes his head and clasps a hand over Jongin’s shoulder. “Watching marathons of cheesy Christmas movies is not a plan, Jongin, that’s just your routine.”  
  
It’s true. He marathons Christmas movies, Halloween movies, Valentine’s movies, and when it’s not a holiday, he has his own themed marathons. Jongin sighs. “Fine. I’ll cover your shift, but you so owe me.”  
  
Sehun blows him a kiss and rolls back to his own booth.  
  


❅❅

  
  
Jongin gets off work at exactly 10pm, wishes his boss a ‘Merry Christmas’ to which Tao responds with a simple nod, and walks down to the tube line that will take him home. He takes his time walking the hallways, admiring the new ad posters for London Air Travel. Gorgeous landscapes from Barcelona, Rome, Paris, India, Sydney. Jongin still dreams of visiting those places and taking his own pictures. _One day_ is what he always says.  
  
Jongin smiles sadly and moves away from the posters. The platform is completely empty except for a group of young men laughing and being boisterous. There’s also a handsome stranger with a long navy coat and jet-black hair pushed back over his wide ears. Jongin does a double take once the information registers in his brain. It’s _his_ handsome stranger. Chanyeol.  
  
Christmas is turning out to be a day full of surprises.  
  
It’s surreal seeing Chanyeol somewhere else other than across the counter at the booth. Suddenly meeting and talking to him seems more real than ever, and Jongin’s palms start to sweat.  
  
Sehun’s annoying voice invades his thoughts, reminding him how he will get nowhere if he doesn’t speak up. And Jongin thinks, “What the hell.” It’s Christmas, miracles can happen—or so he’s seen in movies—his chance to talk is now or never.  
  
Hiking his messenger bag higher on his shoulder, Jongin takes a deep breath, hoping to calm his nerves, and starts walking. The platform is like an unending backstage corridor and he hopes his courage lasts long enough for him to get on stage in time for his cue. But before he can get to his travel prince and sweep him off his feet with a sexy _hello_ , the group of noisy guys approaches Chanyeol.  
  
Jongin slows down his pace. Avoiding conflict is a rule he’s always lived by, but he’s also not afraid to defend himself or Chanyeol if the need arises. Unfortunately, he isn’t quick enough. Jongin sees it all go down in slow motion. Chanyeol’s expensive scarf is ripped from his neck. A second guy clings violently onto Chanyeol’s coat, trying to rip it off him. Chanyeol grabs the man’s hand and tries to pull him off. The stupid young man shoves him away first. And Chanyeol trips back and falls onto the rails.  
  
“No!” Jongin yells, the sound ripping out of his dry throat.  
  
The group of young men sees him and runs away, too scared now that they did real damage. It’s no use going after them or screaming for security—the guards would have seen it on the CCTV cams—so Jongin doesn’t even attempt to. He’s more concerned with Chanyeol who currently lies unconscious in the rail pit.  
  
“Hello?” Jongin calls out. “Cha—Sir! Are you all right?”  
  
He’s an idiot. Of course, Chanyeol isn’t alright. There’s a small gash on his forehead that bleeds freely. He probably hit his head hard against the concrete floor. It’s by sheer luck he hadn’t fallen onto the live rail and electrocuted himself.  
  
_Oh god._  
  
The train.  
  
Throwing caution to the wind, Jongin lowers himself onto the tracks. He’s careful of where he steps as he kneels and examines Chanyeol. He is out cold, and no matter how much Jongin shakes him, he doesn’t wake up.  
  
Jongin checks his watch. There’s only a minute or so left until the next train arrives. There’s no time to hesitate. He hooks his arms under Chanyeol’s and heaves him up. Jongin tries pushing him up and over the ledge, but his travel prince is way too tall and heavy for him to handle alone. Chanyeol’s body falls back onto him and Jongin takes a big whiff of his cologne. “Oh my god, you smell good.”  
  
And even though no one heard him, Jongin still blushes. What the hell is he doing sniffing a helpless and unconscious man?  
  
Right then a scream echoes across the platform, making him almost lose his hold on Chanyeol. A woman and, by the way she clings to him, her boyfriend or husband. The older man leaves her side and runs towards them. He helps Jongin push the unconscious Chanyeol up top again.  
  
Just in time, too.  
  
The sound of the train coming, the howling wind, and the clatter of wheels on the rails booms out of the tunnel. Jongin grabs the older man’s hand and allows himself to be pulled up just seconds before the train rushes to a stop just where he’d been standing.  
  
A pained moan makes him crawl to his unconscious, but still handsome, stranger. Jongin cradles Chanyeol’s face and looks into his dazed eyes. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.”  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
In the hospital, a nurse stops Jongin from following the gurney that carries Chanyeol. “Only family is allowed inside,” the man says. “Are you family?”  
  
“I-I saved him,” Jongin says. “I pulled him from the tracks and accompanied him here. Please, I need to know that he’s all right.” He tries to move forward but the nurse settles a hand over his chest and holds him.  
  
“Are you family?”  
  
“Please, I’m his—”  
  
_What can he say to get inside?_  
  
The nurse frowns. “His?”  
  
“His f-f—”  
  
_He needs to get inside._  
  
The nurse tries helping him out. “Family? Friend? Fiancé?”  
  
“Fiancé.”  
  
_Wait. What?_  
  
The male nurse suddenly smiles wide. Jongin can almost see the stars in—he reads the tag—Yixing’s eyes. “I understand,” he says, and pats Jongin’s hands.  
  
Yixing shows him to a chair and tells him to wait, and then flutters away. Jongin is still frozen, screaming inside at the blatant lie he just spouted, but if it means he’ll get to see Chanyeol, then he’ll roll with it.  
  
Once Chanyeol’s been stabilized and checked into a room for observation, Yixing, bless his heart, grabs Jongin’s wrist and immediately takes him to see his unconscious prince.  
  
“I’ll leave you two alone for a moment,” Yixing says. “He won’t wake up for a while, yet, but talk to him. He’ll hear you.”  
  
Jongin takes the time to study Chanyeol closely. His dark hair, his soft oval face, his perfectly plucked brows, his bumpy nose, and pouty rose-colored lips. And of course, Jongin’s favorite feature, the big ears that stick out at the sides. What would it be like to touch them while he kisses Chanyeol? The thought alone makes warmth rush to his cheeks and neck.  
  
It also makes him feel slightly like a creeper. He’s so worried that when a hand descends on his shoulder a girlish scream escapes his lips.  
  
“You’re the one who saved him?” The man is smaller than him, with ash colored hair and warm brown eyes. He is sweaty and breathing unevenly as if he just ran there.  
  
Jongin nods. “Yes, I—”  
  
“Thank you…I really…Thank you.” The man clings to him in a crushing hug, leaving him breathless and a little scared. He doesn’t do well with strangers. Before Jongin can disentangle himself and run away, more people enter the room.  
  
A young man dressed all in black enters first. Too busy with his cellphone, he doesn’t notice Jongin. “Junmyeon won’t answer his phone. I left him a voice mail.”  
  
“No! Call him again.” A really tall older man with hair graying at the sides comes in next. “His brother is in a coma for crying out loud. He should be here!” Too busy fighting to notice Jongin.  
  
“Chanyeol! My poor baby!” A sprite-sized woman barrels in. With straight black hair falling around her face in a bob and ears sticking out to the sides, she has to be Chanyeol’s mother. “What happened to you, my darling? Can you hear me? Can you hear mama?”  
  
“Honey, please tone it down,” the tall man, no doubt Park Senior, says. “I think the dead can hear you at those decibels.”  
  
“Dad, we’re in a hospital. Do you really want to be making jokes about the dead?” The serious looking young man finally glances at Jongin. His big round glasses maximize his eyes way too much. Jongin tries to take a step back, but there’s still a man clinging to him.  
  
“Baek, I think you’re scaring him,” says the young man.  
  
“What? Oh, sorry.” He lets go of Jongin. “I’m just really grateful. I’m Baekhyun. Chanyeol’s best friend.”  
  
Jongin shakes his hand. “Jongin.”  
  
“Who is he? Why is he here?” Mama Park asks, wiping tears from her eyes.  
  
Baekhyun slaps Jongin’s back. “He’s the one who saved Chanyeol. Jongin, these are Chanyeol’s parents, and the dark shadow over there is Kyungsoo, his little brother.”  
  
“Your dick is little,” Kyungsoo snaps.  
  
“Language!” Mama Park’s shrill voice echoes in the room. “Jongin, dear, we are eternally grateful to you for saving our baby.”  
  
Jongin feels the heat of a blush spreading over his face. “It was really no problem.”  
  
“You must let us make it up to you somehow,” she says, her eyes still shining with unshed tears. “Come to dinner tomorrow night.”  
  
“T-Thank you,” Jongin says, taking a step back. His nerves are starting to kick in and he wants to get out of the room. As much as he’s been dreaming of getting to know Chanyeol, befriending the whole family first seems a little weird. Right? “There’s no need to repay me.”  
  
“Nonsense!” Baekhyun says, slapping Jongin’s back goodheartedly and leaving his hand there.  
  
“Our Chanyeollie is alive all thanks to you!” Mama Park tears up even more after this and Park Senior wraps an arm around her. “You must come. Please say you’ll come.”  
  
Jongin shuffles his feet. It’s not like he has any special dinner plans, ever. And the Parks seems like nice people. He doesn’t want to offend them by refusing to have dinner with them. Perhaps it’s not such a bad idea? “I-I…Okay.”  
  
“Excellent!” Mama Park exclaims through a teary laugh.  
  
Just then, Yixing enters the room to check on Chanyeol. Mama Park detaches from her husband and is onto the nurse in a second, bombarding Yixing with questions. The man takes it all in stride, his patient smile never faltering. “Doctor Kim Minseok will be able to tell you more about your son. For now, know that he is stable. He was very lucky to have such a brave man as his fiancé to rescue him.”  
  
Jongin’s eyes widen and his heart drops. _Oh shit_. That was not supposed to happen. No one else was supposed to hear his lie, much less Chanyeol’s family! _Oh god_ , what is he going to do? Should he run? He should run, but his feet don’t obey and stay firmly rooted to the floor.  
  
Baekhyun steps away, looking at him with something that is half shock, half horror. In the sudden stillness, he’s the only one who moves to pull Yixing, who looks confused, out into the hall. Baekhyun closes the door firmly behind him, destroying any route of escape.  
  
There’s about ten seconds of silence except for the sounds of the machine reading Chanyeol’s pulse, before the room explodes in a cacophony of yelling.  
  
“I didn’t even know he was gay!” Park Senior roars. “Did you know about this, honey?”  
  
Mama Park shakes her head.  
  
“Oh, I knew. I always knew,” Kyungsoo says, leaning against a nearby wall with a smug little smirk. “I mean, he never brought a girl home and he once asked me to share my excellent gay porn collection.”  
  
“Kyungsoo!” Park Senior glares at him.  
  
“What? It’s an excellent—”  
  
“Never mind that!” Mama Park scolds before turning to Jongin. “Is it true? Are you his…his lover? His fiancé?”  
  
It’s time to come clean. It’s time for Jongin to tell the truth, apologize, and leave this lovely family alone. But Sehun’s voice is in his head again, reminding him how he never takes chances, how he never lets people in. And maybe he is sick and tired of spending Christmas time alone. And he really would love to have dinner with this wonderful family, since he doesn’t have one of his own. Whatever the reason, when Jongin opens his mouth to say _no_ , what comes out is, “Yes.”  
  
Another explosion of raised voices and Jongin is being squished to death by Mama Park, while Park Senior awkwardly pats his back. Kyungsoo shakes his head nearby, but still smiles at Jongin.  
  
“I’m so glad he found you. My poor baby keeping his secret all these years and now he has found himself a man. A good man who saved his life!” Chanyeol’s mother sobs all over Jongin’s shoulder.  
  
How did his Christmas Night turn from him being a hero and saving his travel prince, to him being a villain and deceiving his prince’s entire family? He wants to come clean already, but Mama Park is chattering about all the things they’ll talk about over dinner the next day and asking about his life, and _their_ life, and Jongin has barely enough time to think in between her rapid-fire questions.  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
“Are you insane?” Sehun’s voice comes loud and clear across the walls of their small apartment. No matter how many times the landlord threatens to throw him out, Sehun doesn’t understand the concept of quiet nights and not disturbing the neighbors.  
  
Jongin sighs and ignores the question, opting to continue getting ready in the tiny bathroom. Earlier, he stopped by the store and bought a bottle of wine to bring as a gift. He also ironed his best dress shirt and put on his least washed-out jeans. Now if only his hair would cooperate, he could get going.  
  
“Kim Jong In.”  
  
Jongin cringes. It’s not often Sehun calls his full name without westernizing it. He gives up on his hair—no way to tame the curls—and walks out to find his friend seated lotus-style on his bed.  
  
“Talk,” Sehun says. “Explain. Now.”  
  
He’s not even 100% sure of why he did it, but the mix of reasons that contributed to his mental slip comes rushing out of his mouth anyways. “I sit in a booth every day. I work every holiday. I come home to this empty apartment because you’re rarely here. And now the family of the handsome man who I’ve been pining for, for months wants to include me in their Christmas celebration plans when I have no family or plans of my own.” Jongin grabs the only tie in his closet before continuing. “So I said yes. And if that makes me a raving lunatic, then so be it!”  
  
Sehun stares at him with his eerily dead face, the one Jongin had had nightmares of when they’d first moved in together to save on rent. “I don’t know what this,” Sehun makes a circling motion that encompasses all of Jongin, “is, but it’s both freaking me out and making me want to root for you.”  
  
“You’re the one who kept saying I should take chances and open up to people!” Jongin tugs hard at his tie, knotting it firmly. “Well, now I’ve done it.”  
  
“Oh you’ve certainly _done it_.” Sehun leans forward, hands on his crossed legs. “Jongin, you lied to them. What do you think is going to happen when they find out?”  
  
“I don’t know.”  
  
Sehun sighs really loud. “They’re going to think that you’re a creeper; that you’re after their money for saving their kid’s life or something. What are you going to do then?”  
  
“I don’t know!”  
  
Sehun throws a pillow, hitting him in the back. “Then think things through the next time!”  
  
Jongin grabs his pillow, dusts it off, and places it back on the bed. Sehun is right. Lying only complicated things and destroyed any chance of ever having something real with Chanyeol. His travel prince is only going to wake up to find the mess Jongin has created. Ugh. What the hell had he been thinking? “You know what,” he says. “I’ll tell them tonight.”  
  
Sehun falls back on the bed and stretches like a cat. “Good. Just confess after dinner, that way you’ll at least be kicked out with a full stomach.”  
  


❅❅

  
  
It’s a beautiful night with the moon shining bright and snow falling softly on the semi-rural landscape of the city outskirts. Jongin could do with a bit less cold though. He’s standing outside the Park’s two-storey home hoping to gather enough courage to press the doorbell. Jongin still has no idea how to break the truth to them—that yes, he rescued their son, but other than selling him train tickets, there’s nothing more to their relationship. In fact, there is no relationship. At all. Ha ha.  
  
A cold puff of air is visible as Jongin exhales. This is going to be a disaster. If he says it over dinner, somebody might choke. If he says it before dinner, then he’ll be kicked out and spend the entire night alone feeling sorry for himself. Sehun was right. The best time to confess would be after dinner. But can he live with the guilt until then? Just imagining how Mama Park will probably start crying again, makes Jongin want to bang his head against the house’s brick wall.  
  
“Planning to stand there all night?”  
  
Jongin jumps almost dropping the wine he’d brought as a gift.  
  
Baekhyun chuckles and moves past him to the door. He’s wearing a form-fitting navy coat, and a bright orange beanie that matches his leather gloves. “It’s freezing out there. Come on.”  
  
“I’m just…I’ll be right in,” Jongin says, fidgeting with his own worn gloves. “I just need a minute.”  
  
Baekhyun nods and opens the door, but he doesn’t go in. Instead, he closes it again and faces Jongin. “I heard you last night,” he says, eyes steady. “You’re not really his fiancé, are you?”  
  
_Oh crap_. The night before he’d talked to the sleeping Chanyeol, first to pass the time, but later because maybe a part of him was listening like Yixing said. Jongin had hoped that his voice would awaken his travel prince, because maybe then they could really get to know each other. So he’d talked, confessed, and recited a monologue of personal things believing he only had the unconscious Chanyeol as an audience. He’d been wrong.  
  
There’s no way out of this now.  
  
“I’m…no, I’m not,” Jongin says, and his chest feels lighter at having told the truth. “I’m so sorry about this. I shouldn’t have lied. I did save his life and he buys a train ticket from me every Tuesday, that’s how I know him. But that’s all.”  
  
Baekhyun’s brow furrows. “Why did you do it? Lie.”  
  
“I don’t know.” Jongin brings his hands over his face. He’s getting sick of repeating the same three words over and over.  
  
Baekhyun doesn’t say anything for the longest time, and Jongin hunches his shoulders in anticipation to the tongue-lashing he knows will come. Instead, Baekhyun’s words are soft. “They took me in as part of their family, you know? The Parks. They’re really great like that, very caring and accepting of others. I would never let anyone hurt them.”  
  
“I-I’ll come clean,” Jongin says. “That’s what I came to do. I was going to confess—”  
  
Baekhyun continues as if Jongin hadn’t said anything. “Do you see how happy they are? I’ve never seen ahjussi smile so much, or Mama laugh so loud.” He chuckles. “Even Kyungsoo hasn’t raged at anyone since yesterday. And it’s all because of you.”  
  
Jongin swallows. “B-But it’s all a lie….”  
  
“A lie that’s making a lot of people happy even as they’re worried sick about Chanyeol.” Baekhyun winks.  
  
Jongin looks down. He’d been ready to confess, to say goodbye to them all. But now he didn’t have to? Was that even right? To continue deceiving the Parks, just to make them happy for a little while.  
  
“If you’re feeling so guilty, you can just wait to confess when Chanyeol wakes up,” Baekhyun says, but the smile drops from his lips. “And he will wake up soon. I know it.” The words sound more like Baekhyun is trying to convince himself of that fact.  
  
Jongin bites his lip.  
  
“Look, I see that you are lonely and maybe you did this because it’s Christmas time and you wanted a family to be with,” Baekhyun says, and his guess is so accurate it hurts. “I get that. I was a lonely soul once too, before I met Chanyeol and his family. As I see it, right now, they and you need to stick together. For now, just be yourself. You seem like a decent enough kid. Make them happy, and be happy yourself. Christmas time should be a happy time for everyone.”  
  
He can’t argue with Baekhyun there. If the lie keeps the Parks happy, then Jongin is going to keep the lie alive for a little longer. Everything will be solved once Chanyeol wakes up and he can clear up the misunderstanding. It’ll be fine.  
  
“What are you idiots doing freezing your balls out there?” Kyungsoo asks from inside.  
  
“Hello, to you too,” Baekhyun says, pulling Jongin behind him.  
  
They’re taking their coats off and hanging them by the entryway, when Kyungsoo stands close beside Jongin. “I came to warn you. Mom spent the whole morning digging out old albums, so she’s going to make you sit for hours looking at my brother’s baby pics. If you want an out, just say the word and I’ll create a distraction.”  
  
Jongin laughs quietly. “Thanks.”  
  
“Aw. Is our baby Soo trying to be nice to his future brother-in-law?” Baekhyun tries to pinch the young man’s cheeks, but almost gets his fingers bitten off.  
  
“Who’s there?” Mama Park’s voice comes from what must be the kitchen, if the heavenly smell coming from that direction is any indication. “Is that Baekhyunie?”  
  
“Yes, Mama!” Baekhyun takes the wine from Jongin’s hands. “And look who I found outside!”  
  
Mama Park peeks out of the kitchen, and a wide smile blooms on her face. “Jonginnie!”  
  
Jongin has only seconds to prepare himself before receiving Mama Park’s asphyxiating hug. In the two days he’s spent with Chanyeol’s family, he’s received more hugs than ever before in his life. He’s trying really hard not to get attached. This is not his family to keep. These are the people he’s lying to because he doesn’t want to be alone anymore. And yeah, because he’s trying to get in Chanyeol’s good graces for when he wakes up. Who says his travel prince and him can’t still work out?  
  


❅❅

  
  
Dinner goes by smoothly. The food is a delicious spread of eastern and western Christmas dishes. Everything from beef _bulgogi_ , rice and _kimchi_ , to mashed potatoes, pie, and eggnog. The Parks keep the conversations light and entertaining while they eat.  
  
Though they do argue about their oldest son quite a bit.  
  
Mama Park fills Jongin’s cup with cider one more time before retaking her seat. “Did you call Junmyeon?”  
  
“Yes, mom,” Kyungsoo says with a long and suffering sigh. “He can’t make it tonight. But he’ll stop by the hospital and stay with Yeol, so you don’t have to drive back into the city.”  
  
“How _is_ Jun?” Baekhyun asks. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”  
  
Park Senior grunts. “He’s too busy for his family, as always.” The man leaves the table with a vague excuse about checking the upstairs heater.  
  
Mama Park gets up without a word and goes into the kitchen.  
  
Jongin leans over to Baek. “What just happened?”  
  
“Junmyeon hasn’t been in the same room with his parents since he left for college,” Baekhyun says. “And that was seven years ago.”  
  
“Wow.” The Parks seem like good people. Why would their son stay mad at them for so long? Jongin can’t even imagine a good reason to reject one’s family like that. And even if there is a legit reason, there is always forgiveness.  
  
“It’s not Jun’s fault,” Kyungsoo says, startling Jongin. The little dark one could be invisible when he wanted. “You see, Dad wanted Jun to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer, and when my brother didn’t…let’s just say that Chanyeol’s grooming started right away and Junmyeon became persona non grata.”  
  
“In the end, he studied what he wanted, and now has a fabulous job we all envy,” Baekhyun says.  
  
“Maybe _you_ envy him, but me? Not a chance. I’m just grateful for his and Yeol’s sacrifice,” Kyungsoo says. “After their legacy dream was completed, Mom and Dad didn’t give a crap what I did.”  
  
That sounds kind of sad, Jongin wants to say. But Kyungsoo seems happy that things turned out that way. “What are you studying?”  
  
Kyungsoo laughs. “Double major in Arts and Theater.”  
  
“You should’ve done Music too,” Baekhyun says.  
  
“What for?” Kyungsoo asks. “I’m already an excellent singer.”  
  
Jongin laughs at the face Baekhyun makes. As the two friends continue arguing over Kyungsoo’s musical genius, Jongin thinks of the eldest brother who gave up his family for a dream.  
  
The Parks rally up after that and return to the table. But during dessert—pumpkin pie with copious amounts of whip cream—things get dicey for Jongin. Mama Park is very interested to know more about how he and Chanyeol first met, and what their relationship is like. Aside from telling her how he sees Chanyeol every Tuesday morning and sells him a train ticket, he doesn’t have much else to go on. Luckily, Baekhyun is quick to turn the conversation on him and a senior editor promotion he’s going for at work.  
  
Later, Mama Park and Kyungsoo stay washing the dishes, while Park Senior invites Jongin and Baekhyun to watch some TV.  
  
Jongin takes a seat on the couch. “Thanks for the save,” he says under his breath.  
  
“No problem.” Baek takes a sip of his cider. “Just deflect the hardest questions with more questions, and answer the rest with vague comments based on the truth. It always works for me.”  
  
“But what if they start asking me details about Chanyeol? You know, like…intimate details?” Jongin opens his eyes wide. “My brain will fry and I won’t know what to say.”  
  
“Intimate? Hmm.” Baekhyun mulls it over for a second. “Just tell them he has one ball. Real story, too.”  
  
Jongin chokes on his drink and only Baekhyun’s hard pats on his back help him. But he remembers Sehun’s comments about Chanyeol being a three-balled mutant and goes into another fit of coughing.  
  
Mama Park returns with albums of Chanyeol’s baby pictures and they go through a couple of them with Kyungsoo’s snarky commentaries as narration. She even brings out a box wrapped in Christmas paper.  
  
Jongin takes it and stares at it with wide eyes. He isn’t close enough to any of his other acquaintances to be at the gift exchange level. So aside from Sehun’s badly wrapped presents for birthdays and Christmas, he hasn’t received a gift from anyone else since his parents died.  
  
“Go ahead,” Mama Park says. “Open it.”  
  
And he does, trying really hard not to tear up at the unexpected gesture. Inside the box is a thick, white sweater with an embroidered Christmas wreath. It’s very soft in his hands, and he can already see himself wearing it at home and curling up on the couch for one of his marathon movie nights.  
  
“Thank you, this is….” Jongin swallows around the knot in this throat. “This is lovely.”  
  
Mama Park begs him to put it on, so he goes to the bathroom to change and splash some water on his face. When he comes out, she is ready with a camera, and by the time she’s done taking pictures of him and the family, Jongin sees white spots in his vision from so much flash.  
  
“You poor sod,” Kyungsoo says and snickers at him.  
  
Baekhyun whomps Kyungsoo on the side with a pillow from the couch. They both get into a tussle that leaves Jongin in a fit of giggles at the silly insults the two throw at each other. The scene tugs at his heartstrings, and he wonders what his years would have been like with a family of his own.  
  
There’s one tense moment right as they’re leaving when Park Senior pulls him aside, but the tall man only wants to let Jongin know that he really is okay with their relationship even if they never bothered to share the news with him. Jongin apologizes profusely for that and promises that the family will be notified of all future plans.  
  
“Well good,” Park Senior says. “Wouldn’t want to miss the wedding. And I certainly want to have a say in what grandchild of mine you’ll adopt.”  
  
Jongin practically faints on the spot, but Baekhyun comes to his rescue again. It’s almost eleven at night when they both leave the Parks’ house and get in Baekhyun’s car.  
  
“Thank you for tonight,” Jongin says, securing his seat belt. “I really had fun…well, you know, aside from the personal questions about Chanyeol and me and the grandkids talk.”  
  
Baekhyun’s laugh is loud inside the car. “No problem. Hey, I’m going to the hospital to see Yeol tomorrow morning. Do you want to come?”  
  
“No, that’s okay,” Jongin says. “You should be with him alone to talk and stuff.”  
  
“Actually…I’m sort of terrified of being alone in hospitals,” Baekhyun says. “So would you mind?”  
  
Jongin smiles warmly. “Let’s go together, _hyung_.”  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
Together turns out to be Jongin arriving before Baekhyun—“Stuck in traffic, Jonginnie. I’m almost there!”—and finding someone in Chanyeol’s room. Panic rises up in his chest, and before he can back out of the room, the man turns and notices him.  
  
“Can I help you?” The man approaches him, an unsure smile on his face while his eyes study Jongin. “Are you a friend of Chanyeol?”  
  
Jongin realizes he is still standing in the entrance, mute and staring. Because the man is very, very attractive. Jongin goes through his lines in his head, all the possible responses he could give, but none of them comes out. It’s the same effect Chanyeol had on him only multiplied tenfold.  
  
The man extends a hand. “I’m his brother, Junmyeon.”  
  
Jongin sees it now, the faint traces of Chanyeol and Kyungsoo in Junmyeon’s features—like the hair, the shapely neck, the thick brows. But the similarities end there. Junmyeon has a regal look, with pouty lips and a carefully crafted porcelain face. He’s beautifully handsome where Chanyeol is ruggedly handsome even while wearing a suit. Junmyeon would look devastatingly attractive in a suit. _Oh god, where did that thought even come from?_  
  
He takes the offered hand for lack of a better response. “J-Jongin.”  
  
Their handshake takes a little longer than usual, and Junmyeon laughs. “I’m sorry for asking, but where do you know him from? You don’t look like a lawyer.”  
  
“I don’t?” Of course he doesn’t. Not in his raggy sweater and washed-out jeans. Why hadn’t he dressed better today? Right. Because he hadn’t been expecting to meet anyone, much less his travel prince’s sexy older brother.  
  
Junmyeon looks at him from head to toe, and Jongin can feel a blush coming on. Being checked out like this makes his skin buzz pleasantly. “I don’t see lawyer in you.”  
  
Jongin is too flustered to respond.  
  
“I mean, not that you have to be a lawyer to be my brother’s friend,” Junmyeon quickly corrects. “But just, I’ve never seen you before and…you know what, never mind. I’m being rude.” He steps aside with a laugh and sweeps his hands toward Chanyeol’s sleeping figure, as if presenting him to Jongin.  
  
He walks up to the bed and stares at his traveling prince. Chanyeol is still unconscious and sleeping peacefully. A peace that will be obliterated once he wakes up and finds the mess Jongin has made. He never meant for things to get so complicated. That day, he only wanted to make sure his travel prince was safe and sound.  
  
And now he was a big fat liar, taking advantage of Chanyeol’s lovely and generous family.  
  
“The doctor says talking helps,” Junmyeon says. “To wake him up, I mean. I’ve been trying, but…no luck.”  
  
“Don’t give up yet,” Jongin says. “I-I’m sure he’ll wake up soon.”  
  
“You hear that, you big oaf?” Junmyeon says to his unconscious brother. “Jongin here says you’re gonna wake up. So wake up before you miss his handsome face!” When Chanyeol doesn’t react, Junmyeon sighs.  
  
Jongin is having trouble getting his pulse under control, because did Junmyeon just call him handsome? “I…I need to go.”  
  
“Oh? So soon?” Junmyeon pouts a little bit. “And here I was hoping you’d keep me company for a while. It gets really boring with sleeping beauty over there,” he points at Chanyeol, “But okay. Come by any time, Jongin.”  
  
Jongin waves, then bows, then waves again, and almost eats the door as he exits the room. He power walks to the elevators and presses the down button a million times. He can’t do this. He can’t lie to Junmyeon. He can’t—  
  
When the doors slide open, Baekhyun knocks into him. “Ow, hey! Were you waiting for me here all this time?”  
  
Jongin grabs the smaller man. “Baekhyun, I can’t do this,” he hisses.  
  
Baekhyun takes off his scarf and gives Jongin a concerned look. “Can’t do what?”  
  
“Lie to another person! I j-just can’t.”  
  
“What are you—Junmyeon, hey! ” Baekhyun’s grin is wide as he looks around Jongin. “Have you met Chanyeol’s fiancé?”  
  
The change in Junmyeon is immediate. He goes from friendly brother to protector knight in two seconds flat, even as he keeps his pleasant smile on. “I didn’t realize…It’s very nice to meet you.” Junmyeon is smaller than Jongin, but right then as they’re shaking hands again, Jongin feels 3 inches tall. Are all the Park men both handsome and intimidating?  
  
They all head back to Chanyeol’s room, and the only thing making Jongin move forward is Baekhyun’s hand on his back. Once inside the room, Baekhyun leaves him, but before he can retreat, Junmyeon is there.  
  
“So you are the one everyone has been talking about,” Junmyeon says. “It’s very odd that Chanyeol never mentioned you before.”  
  
“Oh, I uh…we didn’t want to t-tell anyone until we were sure,” Jongin says.  
  
The smile never falters. “And why is that?”  
  
“Why are you grilling the poor kid?” Baekhyun asks. He’s standing beside Chanyeol, his fingers resting over the unconscious man’s hand.  
  
Junmyeon laughs. “Isn’t this what older brothers do? I’m sure Jongin here understands, right?”  
  
Jongin blinks fast and tries not to be charmed by the all-knowing twinkle in Junmyeon’s eyes. “R-right.”  
  
“So, how long have you two been seeing each other?” Junmyeon asks, crossing his arms. There are slim muscles underneath his tight green sweater. Why does he keep noticing all these things? _Focus Jongin_. “It must not have been long.”  
  
“Two months,” Jongin says. And it’s the truth. He’s been seeing Chanyeol every Tuesday morning for two months.  
  
Junmyeon shakes his head still smiling. “That’s a really short time. Wow. And you’re engaged already. Where did you meet?”  
  
“Train station.” He’s doing good. He’s sticking to the script and, yet, it feels like it isn’t working.  
  
“Huh.” Junmyeon doesn’t look convinced at all, but he doesn’t say more. It seems like he’s letting it slide for now.  
  
“Well, now that the interrogation is over, I guess we’ll leave you then,” Baekhyun says, giving Jongin a pointed look. And Jongin cannot object at the quick retreat. “We just wanted to make sure Yeol wasn’t alone here. We’ll come back later and bring some stuff over.”  
  
Junmyeon hugs Baekhyun, and then smiles politely at Jongin. He is learning to fear that smile. After a muttered ‘nice to meet you’ Jongin turns to leave. But then Junmyeon says, “Oh, Jongin. Make sure to bring Yeol’s favorite Rilakkuma.”  
  
Jongin freezes. “His favorite…what?”  
  
“Rilakkuma.” Junmyeon arches one eyebrow. “You _do_ know what that is.”  
  
Baekhyun is making weird signals behind Junmyeon. _Crap_. Did he just get caught in the lie?  
  
Junmyeon smiles again, and this time Jongin sees the underlying edge. “Chanyeol only has like a million of them in his room. Bring his favorite. Or don’t you know which one it is?”  
  
Jongin’s laugh is forced. “O-of course I know.”  
  
“Really?” Junmyeon walks up to him, craning his neck up to look at Jongin. “Is it the one in the groom outfit or the bee one?”  
  
_Fuck_. His eyes dart to Baekhyun, but Junmyeon blocks his gaze with a hand. “If you can’t even tell me that, then how do you expect me to believe that you and my brother are together?” He holds his hand out to Baekhyun who is about to interrupt. “Chanyeol is the most cautious person I know. He wouldn’t just propose to someone who barely knows him. Something is not right. And I want to know what it is.”  
  
Baekhyun massages his forehead and looks away.  
  
Junmyeon looks like he’s about to call security.  
  
And Jongin panics. “Chanyeol has one testicle!”  
  
Complete and utter silence, except for the beeping of Chanyeol’s heart through the machine. Beep. Beep. Beep.  
  
“What?” Junmyeon frowns at Jongin when he doesn’t say anything else. “No. That’s…he would’ve told me.”  
  
“It happened a while ago,” Jongin says, remembering the story Baekhyun told him the night before. “He was playing basketball with us, and Baek forgot he had a pencil in his pocket, so when Chanyeol fell on him it sort of…pierced through.”  
  
Junmyeon looks two parts sick and one park angry. “You’re lying.”  
  
“Check,” Baekhyun says.  
  
Jongin nods. “Yes. Check him if you think I’m lying.”  
  
“Fine!” Junmyeon goes to his unconscious brother, and slowly lifts the blankets keeping him warm. His face turns carefully blank for a second before he covers Chanyeol again. “My apologies for doubting.”  
  
Baekhyun looks highly amused.  
  
“It’s okay,” Jongin murmurs. Guilt is growing inside of him again. How many people is he going to end up deceiving?  
  
After saying their goodbyes again, Baekhyun pulls him out of the room and doesn’t let go until they’re waiting in front of the elevators. “That was close,” he says.  
  
Jongin sighs. “I don’t think I can—”  
  
Baekhyun’s cellphone starts to sing the chorus to Katy Perry’s _Roar_. “Hello?” He frowns. “I left that at the printers two days ago. Are you sure? I—Yes, boss. I’ll be right there.” Ending the call, Baekhyun lets go of some colorful expletives that have Jongin’s mouth gaping. “Sorry about that. I have to go to the office because some asshat misplaced one of my stories.”  
  
“Oh. I can walk home from here,” Jongin says.  
  
“Actually, I was wondering if you’d do me a favor,” Baekhyun says as they get into the elevator. “Do you have to work later?”  
  
“I had first shift. I’m done for the day. Why?” Jongin asks, shrugging on his jacket.  
  
They exit the elevator and head outside. The weak sunlight does nothing to warm them up. “Would you mind going to Chanyeol’s place anyway and getting some stuff to bring later? I’ll pick you up when I return from the office.”  
  
Jongin shakes his head furiously. “But I don’t know anything about Chanyeol! How am I supposed to know what to bring him? Hell, I don’t even know where his stuff is! And do you really want me going through all his things? I’m a stranger! You’re not supposed to let strangers into your house!”  
  
Baekhyun laughs out loud, startling some passersby. “Your reaction is exactly why I know I can trust you.” He pouts and makes sad eyes at Jongin, looking like an overgrown puppy. “Please.”  
  
Jongin groans because he knows it’s no use resisting.  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
Jongin stands in the middle of the marbled hallway of Chanyeol’s luxury apartment, unsure of where to go next. The place is so big that Jongin’s own place could fit inside two or three times over. It’s very modern and clean, sleek lines and hard surfaces, but it all feels too cold, empty. Jongin wouldn’t trade his cluttered and very clearly lived-in space for these lifeless lands.  
  
The master bedroom alone was the only place that looked lived in with clothes strewn about, CD cases in towers all over the place, and a messy music station complete with laptop, keyboard, and audio system. It had made Jongin smile and think of Chanyeol, with his pressed suits and composed appearance. But apparently a wild soul underneath it all. He’d poked around, wanting to know more about this new side of his travel prince. Then under the desk, Jongin had found another unexpected surprise that had then demanded his full attention.  
  
Now, Jongin looks down at his four-legged companion. They’d become quick friends. The pup hadn’t left his side since Jongin found him. “Where’s the bathroom, Monggu?”  
  
The puppy tilts his head and barks.  
  
Jongin points to the left. “This way?”  
  
Monggu barks again.  
  
Jongin points to the right. “This way?”  
  
A growl.  
  
“To the left we go.”  
  
Jongin rubs his sleep-heavy eyes and yawns. He hadn’t mean to fall asleep while playing with the pup, but the snoring Monggu on his chest and the soft rug on Chanyeol’s mega living room floor had lulled him.  
  
A hazy moon hangs outside, very visible from the glass windows that make up most of the apartment’s outer walls. Jongin texted Baekhyun to see when he’s coming to pick him up, but the man only responded with a quick, “Just a bit longer.” However, Jongin is very hungry and Monggu probably is too, so after he takes care of business in the five-star bathroom, he goes in search of the kitchen.  
  
Like every other space in Chanyeol’s apartment, the kitchen is huge and equipped with the latest appliances, none of which Jongin is sure he can work. Some digging around finds him a couple of ramen cups. But before he feeds himself he feeds Monggu, the pup having helpfully pointed him in the right direction of the dog food.  
  
Jongin is ruffling the pup’s curly head when a weight settles on his shoulder. He jerks back, flailing his arms everywhere, trying to get away.  
  
“Ow! Fuck!”  
  
Jongin opens his eyes to see Junmyeon clutching at his nose. “Oh my god! I’m sorry,” he says, grabbing the man’s face and trying to check for damage. “I thought you were a thief or something.”  
  
“A thief on the 30th floor who either got through the security lock, or scaled and entered through the window?” Junmyeon says, voice all nasally.  
  
Jongin continues to hold him and inspects for damage. Junmyeon’s nose is red, but there is no blood coming out. He really is more handsome than Chanyeol, with a rounder face, rosier and poutier lips, and sharper eyes. No cute ears sticking out though. But he has very nice skin and it feels heavenly under Jongin’s fingers as he runs them across the man’s jaw.  
  
He lets go, when he realizes how close they are. “Sorry…again,” Jongin says.  
  
“It’s fine.” Junmyeon sniffles loudly, then grabs a serviette from the kitchen island to blow his nose. “Baek kicked me out of the hospital and told me to get some sleep. He stayed with my brother.”  
  
“Oh…he was supposed to pick me up.” Junmyeon doesn’t react to the statement and Jongin tries not to fidget under his gaze, but it’s really hard. “I guess I should go now.”  
  
Jongin kneels beside Monggu and allows the pup to lick his face. “I’ll see you around, little guy.” Even as he says it, he knows it might be a lie. Chanyeol can wake up at any moment and then Jongin will tell the truth. The truth which could make everyone, even Monggu, hate him.  
  
Monggu yips happily right until Jongin tries to leave. The pup starts to cry and whine then. Junmyeon does his best to quiet him, but it doesn’t work. So, Jongin picks Monggu up and soothes him.  
  
“The last time we spoke, he told me he had big news to share,” Junmyeon says, watching Jongin pet Monggu. “I thought it would be either a dog or a boyfriend. I guess it was both.”  
  
Jongin smiles, bright and wide, because Junmyeon’s face is priceless. It’s a mix of disbelief and weirded out. _If only he knew_.  
  
Junmyeon rubs his neck, awkward all of a sudden. “Let me drive you home. It’s the least I can do after how I treated you this morning.”  
  
“Oh no, don’t worry about it.” Jongin’s laugh turns uneven. The last thing he needs is more alone time with Chanyeol’s brother. There’s something that unsettles Jongin whenever the man is around, and maybe it’s more than the danger of Junmyeon finding out the truth. Jongin would rather take on Kyungsoo and his grim reaper stare any day.  
  
“Please. I insist.”  
  
And that was that.  
  
After the pup falls asleep under Jongin’s expert hands, they tiptoe out of the apartment and take the elevator. Jongin is grateful for Junmyeon’s car because it’s snowing outside and he would’ve frozen his butt off walking home. They hurry to where the car is parked, only to find there’s a problem.  
  
“Dammit…they blocked it in.” Junmyeon scuffs his foot against the ground and glares at the car parked behind his. Jongin wants to point out that maybe he shouldn’t have parked so close to the front car in the first place, but that’s not really helpful.  
  
“Guess we’re walking,” Junmyeon says.  
  
Apparently, he is freezing his butt off anyways. “It’s fine. I can just walk home….” But Junmyeon is already walking ahead and Jongin jogs to catch up.  
  
It quickly becomes a really uncomfortable walk. The snow continues to fall steadily, settling onto their jackets and hats. The only sounds are their breaths and the crunch of old snow under their boots, because neither of them is talking. The tension brews like a big wall of ice and Jongin doesn’t know what to say to break it. Chanyeol’s brother seems so unapproachable now with a tiny frown on his face, like he’s always worried about something or stressed out. Is it because of Chanyeol’s condition or something else?  
  
Knowing he’s not the best at conversations, Jongin decides to try anyway. “You look cold.” Great opening line.  
  
“Probably because I _am_ cold,” Junmyeon says.  
  
_Crap_. Bad opening. The conversation goes absolutely nowhere. Why couldn’t he be like Sehun who only had to open his mouth, say one line, and he could charm the pants off anyone. Not that he wanted to charm the pants off of Junmyeon. Or did he? Ugh. Should he try again? Maybe the silence wasn’t so bad….  
  
Jongin’s stomach rumbles so loud it startles them.  
  
Junmyeon turns to him, eyes twinkling. “I think I better feed you before you try to take a bite out of me.”  
  
His cheeks warm up. “Sorry. I haven’t eaten since this morning.”  
  
“No wonder sweaters look like they’re swallowing you up. You’re so skinny,” Junmyeon says, and all that Jongin can think is that, at some point, Junmyeon had checked him out again. “Come on. I know a great place nearby. My treat.”  
  
They end up in a cozy, corner-side café, eating pancakes for dinner—chocolate chip for Jongin, blueberry for Junmyeon. Coffee warms them up. But the silence and awkwardness are still there though, and Jongin knows it’s up to him.  
  
He tries again. “So…Chanyeol is a lawyer. Kyungsoo told me he’s studying Arts and Theater. What do you do?”  
  
Junmyeon swallows before answering. “I’m the black sheep of our hard working family. I’m a photographer and graphic designer.”  
  
“Oh.” Now Jongin understood part of the Christmas dinner conversation. It was quite unfair that the Parks hadn’t supported Junmyeon. Jongin had taken some art classes in university, especially the photography courses. He’d never been good at it, but he always appreciated all the time and effort artists put into their pieces. Art was not an easy field.  
  
Jongin didn’t think Mama Park or Park Senior were still upset about their eldest being in the arts, but more about the fact that he stayed away. Junmyeon didn’t seem to understand if he was still calling himself the black sheep of the family.  
  
He couldn’t say that, however. Instead, Jongin asked, “But do you like it? Your job?”  
  
“I love it.” And Jongin can hear it in his voice. Junmyeon _loves_ what he does, even if his family is or was not okay with it. “I used to work with Baekhyun at the newspaper, doing the layout and ads, before I went freelance.”  
  
“What sort of work do you do now?”  
  
“Mostly marketing campaigns for big companies,” Junmyeon says. “You might have seen some of the ads at the tube station.”  
  
Jongin grins. “I liked the Sydney one with the fish!”  
  
Junmyeon laughs, truly delighted. He looks years younger. Pleasure bursts in his chest at the knowledge that he did that, he made Junmyeon not frown anymore. “How did you do it? I mean, I know there’s photoshop involved, but the half in the water effect looked original.”  
  
“Good eye,” Junmyeon says. “That one was a little scary to do. We rented a boat and they threw me in the water with a warning to be quick and watch out for sharks. So I’m there, trying to float and align the shot to be half underwater and worrying about something biting my legs from under me.”  
  
“That does sounds scary,” Jongin says.  
  
Junmyeon’s cheeks are flushed. “It was one of the most exciting photoshoots I’ve had.”  
  
It was scary, but it was an adventure. Jongin gets it, and wishes he was brave enough to go on his own adventures.  
  
“What do you do, Jongin?” Junmyeon asks.  
  
“I’m a ticket seller at King’s Cross Station,” he says, and tries not to sound as indifferent as he feels. It’s a job. It pays the bills. He met Chanyeol thanks to it. But it’s not what he wants to be doing for the rest of his life.  
  
“Not your dream job?”  
  
Jongin shakes his head. “It’s not as exciting as swimming in shark infested waters.”  
  
Junmyeon laughs again.  
  
Chatting with him turns out to be really easy. The topics weave and meld into one another, until Jongin can’t even remember where they started. The serious exterior that had intimidated Jongin at first is no more. Junmyeon’s smile is genuine as he talks about his travels. It seems he does a lot of it himself, like Chanyeol. And Jongin drinks in his words like a kid during story time.  
  
Junmyeon turns out to be a great listener, too. Jongin easily opens up about his dreams and his unfulfilled plans. Junmyeon asks questions, makes jokes, and it feels amazing that someone wants to know about him.  
  
Time flies and they head on out again. This time there’s no ice wall between them, only warmth, laughter, and a blooming friendship. When they arrive at his apartment building, Jongin doesn’t even remember how they got there. He was so enveloped in their conversation. “Oh, we’re here.”  
  
Junmyeon glances at the big patch of ice covering the main entrance. “Are you sure you can get through?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s fine,” Jongin says. There’s always ice buildup there. Over the years, the residents have given up on cleaning it every morning and learned to just navigate through or around it.  
  
Jongin decides to go through it.  
  
“Here, let me help.” Junmyeon steps after him. Newbie mistake.  
  
“Don’t!”  
  
But Junmyeon is already on the ice and slipping. Jongin grabs onto the man’s arms and pulls him close. They cling to each other even as they continue to slip. It’s even worse when Jongin starts to laugh at Junmyeon’s panicked face.  
  
“Stop laughing!” Junmyeon screeches. “You’re going to make us fall.”  
  
Jongin dissolves into a fit of giggles, but manages to slide them safely across the ice. They don’t let go of each other as they continue to laugh and gasp. Junmyeon’s beanie is crooked, so Jongin reaches out and holds him still while he fixes it. Junmyeon’s eyes are steady on him, all laughter now gone. The thought of kissing him comes so fast into Jongin’s mind, that he doesn’t have time to process it and simply leans in with the impulse.  
  
“Would you like to come to a party with me on New Year ’s Eve?” Junmyeon asks.  
  
The question breaks the haze and Jongin pulls back, eyes wide. “What?”  
  
Junmyeon laughs. “It’s not a date. I got an invite from an old friend of the family. And Kyungsoo is coming along, too. But he makes for a lousy wingman. So, would you come with me?”  
  
Jongin blushes, because he _had_ thought Junmyeon was asking him out. And he _had_ been about to kiss Junmyeon. Why does he feel disappointment churning in his stomach? “Oh, I-I’d love to.”  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
The party venue turns out to be another classy, penthouse apartment in the center of the city, with a clear view of the colorful London Eye in the distance. Unlike Chanyeol’s place, the owner chose to decorate it like it was a palace with wing back chairs, Victorian sofas and ottomans, gleaming mahogany tables, and floor to ceiling drapes in expensive fabrics.  
  
Though everybody else lounged or strolled comfortably around the place, Jongin was honestly scared to touch, much less sit on anything. That all changed when he met the lucky owner of the place—Jongdae. The small man was literally a ball of energy, and in the five minutes it’d taken for Junmyeon to introduce them, Jongdae had spilled wine on himself, on the floor, and toppled over a vase full of flowers with his flailing arms as he told a story.  
  
Jongdae laughed. “I better go find a broom and mop to clean this up. It was very nice meeting you Jongin.”  
  
“Nice meeting you—” But Jongdae was already off and away chattering with someone else. “Too….Is he always like this?”  
  
“No,” Junmyeon says, hiding a grin behind his hand. “He’s worse around my brother and Baekhyun. I used to call them little terrors when we were kids, but then Chanyeol grew. Now they’re just terrors.”  
  
Jongin chuckles. “I wish I’d had brothers or sisters.”  
  
“You were an only child?”  
  
“I don’t know.”  
  
“How so?”  
  
After their long night of conversation three days ago, Jongin feels comfortable enough to answer. “I was an orphan.” He honestly can’t remember the last time he talked about this. When was the last time he let anyone get this close? “A lovely couple…My adoptive parents brought me to the UK with them when I was just a baby. They took care of me, gave me an education, and let me make my life when I turned old enough.”  
  
Junmyeon nods. “Where are they now?”  
  
“They died.” He feels the numbness at the edges of his heart. “Car accident five years ago.”  
  
“I’m so sorry,” Junmyeon says softly.  
  
Jongin hates it when people tell him that, because he hates the underlying pity that comes with it. But he doesn’t hear that in Junmyeon’s words. There’s only sincerity. “Thank you,” Jongin says, his voice catching a bit.  
  
“Let me get you something to drink. Get this party started and all that, okay? Wait here.” Junmyeon squeezes Jongin’s shoulder and then heads to the kitchen, weaving among the other guests.  
  
The small gesture is oddly comforting. No one has taken care of him since his adoptive parents died. Sure, Sehun is there for him, but it’s not the same. It’s not the same to have Junmyeon, who only just met him a few days ago, take care of him. First, by walking him home and feeding him in the process. Then, by making sure he didn’t celebrate another New Years alone. And now, by making him feel comfortable in an environment where he feels like a complete outsider.  
  
There’s a fluttering in his chest that is getting harder and harder to ignore for what it really is.  
  
“Jongin?”  
  
He glances up and does a double-take. “Sehun? What are you doing here?”  
  
“I could ask you the same thing.” Sehun takes the seat beside him. “I thought you were at a thing with your fiancé’s family and I see you flirting with a gorgeous little man.”  
  
“I am at the thing.” Jongin points at the kitchen island where the refreshments have been laid out. Junmyeon is preparing the drinks. “That’s Chanyeol’s older brother.”  
  
Sehun makes a duck face. “Interesting. You never told me you liked both brothers.”  
  
“I-I don’t…I mean, I didn’t—That’s not true.”  
  
Sehun raises a hand. “Save it. You know it’s futile to hide anything from me.”  
  
“I’m so screwed.” Jongin sags against the wall. He can’t fall for Junmyeon. He’s supposed to be Chanyeol’s fake fiancé! “I’m so, so screwed.”  
  
Sehun laughs. “This is going to be fun.”  
  
Jongin glares at his best friend. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I’m here because my hot date promised Jongdae to make an appearance,” Sehun says. “Apparently they’re old friends or something.”  
  
“Who’s your date? I thought you were going out with our pizza delivery guy?”  
  
“That was last month.”  
  
Jongin rolls his eyes.  
  
“My date is dark, tall, and dangerous over there,” Sehun says, a grin stretching over his lips. “I think you know him, too.”  
  
Jongin cranes his neck in the direction Sehun pointed, and his stomach swoops, because Kyungsoo, Jongdae, and a familiar tall figure are in that corner. He turns and hisses at Sehun, “You’re dating Tao? As in fashion nazi, hardass boss, Zitao Huang?”  
  
Sehun laughs harder this time. “You’re face is priceless. Hold up. I promised Taozi I’d take a pic when I told you.”  
  
Jongin shoves Sehun’s cellphone away from his face. “I can’t believe you. He’s going to fire both our asses once you dump him.”  
  
“I’m not going to dump him,” Sehun says, no longer smiling.  
  
Jongin chokes on air. “Excuse me?”  
  
Sehun scratches his chin and the non-existent hairs there. “I kind of like him. Really like him. I haven’t felt the urge to run away and try something new. Tao keeps me plenty occupied.”  
  
“Ah! Please, stop right there,” Jongin covers his friends mouth. “I don’t want to hear the details. I’m just…slightly disturbed, but happy for you, okay?”  
  
Sehun licks Jongin’s hand, effectively dislodging it. “Happy for me? What’s that’s supposed to mean?”  
  
“Means our place is only big enough for one sad and lonely soul,” Jongin says. “And I wasn’t going to share with you. So, yay.”  
  
“Oh? But where am I supposed to take Tao when I want to fu—”  
  
“Not home!” Sehun’s laugh is too loud for the setting they’re in, so Jongin grabs his friend by the neck and hugs him tight, cutting off his air, until the other dissolves into softer giggles. “Or at least not when I’m there too.”  
  
Sehun pulls back a bit and stares at Jongin. “You’re a good friend, Jonginie.”  
  
“Just good?”  
  
“The best. The greatest. The—” Sehun’s phone chimes. He checks it and grins.  
  
Jongin quirks a brow.  
  
Sehun leans in, forcing Jongin to back against the wall, and whispers in Jongin’s ear. “That was Tao. Apparently there’s an empty closet in the hallway he wants me to check out.”  
  
“What for?” Jongin asks.  
  
Sehun pats his cheek. “You’re so innocent sometimes.” And with that he walks away. It only takes a couple of seconds to understand and by then he wants to find bleach to erase the mental image of his boss and Sehun in a closet.  
  
“Who was that?” Junmyeon’s voice is like a shock to his system. Jongin immediately forgets all about Sehun and straightens up. “And why was he _leaning_ all over you?”  
  
Jongin takes the offered wine glass from Junmyeon. “What are you talking about?”  
  
“He was _leaning_ his whole body, moving in like this.” Junmyeon demonstrates perfectly, getting into Jongin’s personal space, before retreating.  
  
The small invasion has Jongin’s heart racing unexpectedly and he takes a big pull of his wine. Yeah, he gets it. He’d done some leaning of his own the day Junmyeon walked him home. “So? He’s my friend. We hug and lean into each other a lot.”  
  
Junmyeon is still frowning, and Jongin doesn’t understand what the big deal is. “Leaning it’s a lot different than hugging. Hugging involves arms and hands and sometimes awkwardness. But leaning….” Junmyeon looks up, and Jongin’s breath stutters. “Leaning involves wanting and accepting. Leaning means….”  
  
“Why are you _leaning_ all over Jongin?” Kyungsoo asks.  
  
Junmyeon steps a healthy three feet away. “I was just demonstrating what that other guy was doing,” he says, all calm and composed, but his ears color up.  
  
“Sehun?” Kyungsoo asks.  
  
Jongin’s eyes widen. “You know Sehun?”  
  
“Yeah. Tao’s boy toy,” Kyungsoo says. “Why?”  
  
Boy toy? Tao is a player too? The two were really made for each other.  
  
The urge to facepalm is strong, but not in front of Junmyeon. “Sehun is my best friend and roommate. We’ve known each other for a long time.”  
  
“Oh.” Junmyeon colors even more now. “I…didn’t know.”  
  
“Wait. You’re the shy one?” Kyungsoo laughs. “Tao talks about work sometimes and he’s mentioned you, though not by name.”  
  
“Shy one. That’s me.”  
  
Kyungsoo laughs again. “I can’t believe Chanyeol never told us about you. Did he ask Tao for your number? Is that how you met?”  
  
Taken off-guard by the question, Jongin tries to answer without messing up. “N-No. We just…Well he came one day…a-and….”  
  
“Soo, baby! Come over here!” Jongdae’s call comes over from the other side of the room. Kyungsoo excuses himself.  
  
Jongin breathes out hard. He’d honestly forgotten all about Chanyeol, his travel prince who is still lying in a hospital bed unconscious. Meanwhile Jongin is at a party getting lost in Junmyeon’s words and stares. Right then, Junmyeon’s warm eyes are on him again, making his skin prickle and heat up.  
  
He tugs at the collar of his red turtleneck. “W-What are you looking at?” Jongin asks.  
  
Junmyeon tilts his head. “You’re shy. You work in public transportation. You live with a roommate. You…are not Chanyeol’s type. At all.”  
  
Jongin bristles a bit. It’s not the first time his life choices have been put down at all, but after all their conversations Jongin didn’t expect it from Junmyeon. “No? Then whose type am I?”  
  
“I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” Junmyeon says, and tries to grab Jongin’s hand, but he pulls it away.  
  
“Then how did you mean it?” Jongin glares now. Of all the qualities he’d seen in Junmyeon, jerk was definitely a new one. Had he misjudged the man?  
  
“What I meant is that you’re not comfortable in this setting.” Junmyeon spread his hands, showcasing the luxurious and decadent room. “And a big part of Chanyeol’s life is all about this—classy parties, meetings with the wealthy, expensive everything. As a high-profile lawyer, this is his life. And you seem to wilt under all of this.”  
  
Junmyeon’s voice isn’t condescending, but full of warmth and worry. It’s the only reason why Jongin hasn’t told him to fuck off. But why should Junmyeon care if Chanyeol and him aren’t a good fit? Unless…. “Any other reason of why I shouldn’t be with your brother?”  
  
There’s a struggle in Junmyeon’s eyes, and the man opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, before finally settling on his practiced smile. “No. None at all.”  
  
The disappointment is very real this time.  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
It’s a quiet Saturday morning and they’re sitting at their cozy café, the one they’d visited almost a week and a half ago. Jongin has been dodging Junmyeon since the New Year party—leaving as soon as the man arrived to visit Chanyeol, letting his calls go to voicemail, etc. He struggles to control the rush of feeling bursting inside of him from having Junmyeon so close. This is exactly why he had to stay away.  
  
“I’m glad we could meet today,” Junmyeon says, once their coffees arrive. “You’ve been avoiding me.”  
  
“I’ve been busy,” Jongin says, and takes a sip even though it’s way too hot to drink yet. If he burns his tongue, he’ll resist the urge to talk too much.  
  
“Selling tickets?”  
  
The question rubs him the wrong way, and Jongin starts to get up.  
  
Junmyeon takes a hold of his hand. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just…I want to know why you’re mad at me.”  
  
Jongin reluctantly sits back down. “I’m not mad.”  
  
Junmyeon doesn’t believe him. He can see it in the way the other’s lips turn down a bit. “If this is because of what I said about you not being Chanyeol’s type—”  
  
“It’s not about that.” Jongin takes another sip. _Damn, that one scalded his insides_.  
  
“Then what is it?” Junmyeon asks, and he leans forward, brown eyes searching Jongin’s face for the answer.  
  
_It’s you_ , Jongin wants to say. After the party, there had been no denying the feelings growing inside of him. How his heart raced under Junmyeon’s looks. How his breath stalled whenever the other complimented him. How his daydreams at the booth now starred Junmyeon instead of Chanyeol.  
  
Jongin didn’t want to lie anymore. “I’m afraid you will hate me.”  
  
Junmyeon frowns. “I don’t think that could ever happen, but we won’t know until you tell me.”  
  
His throat is burning up, and it’s not the coffee this time. It’s the knot of tears threatening to come out, because why did he have to fall in love so fast. “You don’t forgive easily, Junmyeon,” Jongin says. “You still haven’t forgiven your parents and that was years ago. How long will you stay mad at me for this?”  
  
Junmyeon eyes widen, clearly taken aback by Jongin’s mention of his family issues. He sets his coffee aside and holds Jongin’s hand. “I’m not mad at them, I’m just…I don’t know how to face them and say sorry. But I am facing you here, and I won’t get mad. I promise you. I’ll—” His cellphone goes off with a boring preset ring. Junmyeon answers with a quick hello and then he’s off his seat. “Yes! We’ll be right there!”  
  
“What is it?” Jongin asks, standing up too. He rubs his eyes quickly where the tears had inevitably gathered.  
  
“It’s Chanyeol! He’s awake!” Junmyeon’s smile is blinding.  
  
Jongin’s heart goes into overdrive as he drops some bills on the table and follows Junmyeon outside. They catch a cab to the hospital and race to Chanyeol’s room. The whole family is there already crowding around the bed along with Doctor Minseok and nurse Yixing.  
  
Chanyeol looks a little worn out, but he’s awake and alert. He smiles as his mother coos at him and his father hovers nearby holding his hand. Kyungsoo is quiet, but he’s sitting at the foot of the bed, one hand on Chanyeol’s leg. Junmyeon goes to them, but Jongin stays by the door, not wanting to unleash his mess just yet.  
  
“How are you feeling, Chanyeol?” Minseok asks. “Any pain? Nausea? Dizziness?”  
  
“I feel great,” Chanyeol says.  
  
“That’s good. That’s very good.” The doctor checks his pulse, his breathing, and asks him a few more questions, but everything comes out okay. “We’d like to keep you another couple of days for observation, and after that you’ll be free to go.”  
  
Someone crashes into Jongin and he stumbles to the side. Baekhyun breathes hard as he stares at Chanyeol who is now grinning like a maniac. He’s all a mess, his coat put on backwards, his shirt buttoned wrong and his shoes…are fluffy dog-shaped slippers.  
  
“You’re awake,” Baekhyun pants.  
  
“You’re here,” Chanyeol says.  
  
“Stating the obvious,” Kyungsoo says with his usual snark. “Brilliant.”  
  
Baekhyun’s laugh is full of relief. “Where else would I be?”  
  
Chanyeol’s grin goes impossibly wider, edging into creepy. But Baekhyun drinks it in and practically glows. It’s the same reaction Jongin has been having when Junmyeon smiles at him or laughs with him. And Jongin suddenly gets it.  
  
Chanyeol tones down the smile and tilts his head. “Who is that?”  
  
Mama Park, Park Senior, Kyungsoo, Junmyeon, Minseok, Yixing, and finally Baekhyun all turn to look at Jongin. The wish for a hole to open up and swallow him whole is strong, but sadly it doesn’t happen and he has to stand there and sweat, and die inside.  
  
“That’s Jongin, darling,” Mama Park says.  
  
Chanyeol tilts his head. “And who is Jongin?”  
  
“You don’t remember your fiancé?” Mama Park grips her son’s hand like she’s scared he’ll slip away into deep slumber once again.  
  
“I’m engaged? To who?” Chanyeol looks well and truly confused. And Jongin knows he should explain and apologize now, but his throat has closed up, and he can’t even remember the words he had prepared.  
  
“To Jongin.”  
  
Worried looks are exchanged, and they all land on Doctor Minseok. “He was unconscious for more than a week. It’s not uncommon that some of his memories might be a bit hazy.”  
  
“Again, who’s Jongin?” Chanyeol asks, looking at Baekhyun, who refuses to answer.  
  
Kyungsoo pushes Jongin to the hospital bed until he’s standing in front of Chanyeol. “He’s the one who saved you, your fiancé.”  
  
_Oh god_. He needs to speak. Now.  
  
Chanyeol turns really serious now. His eyes keep going to Baekhyun, who keeps his gaze averted. “He’s not my fiancé,” Chanyeol says.  
  
“You just don’t remember, sweetie,” Mama Park says.  
  
“No, mom.” Chanyeol’s voice is hard now. “He’s not my fiancé because the person whom I proposed to never answered me.”  
  
“Chanyeol, what are you talking about?” Junmyeon asks his brother, but his eyes are on Jongin.  
  
“Dad, could you find the coat I came in with the day they brought me to the hospital?” Chanyeol asks, and waits until his father hands him the item. He digs around in the pockets, and brings out a small black box. Inside there’s a simple silver band, with a gold line insert running through the middle.  
  
“I don’t understand,” Mama Park says, stepping back from the bed. Park Senior goes to her.  
  
“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol says, and there’s something in his voice that makes Jongin’s heart lurch. There’s so much…love.  
  
Baek’s face has drained of color. He looks like he’s ready to bolt.  
  
“Baek. We’ve known each other for ten years. You’ve been with me during bad times, good times, weird times, and all the times that made a difference in my life. You’ve been there.” Chanyeol smiles. “I gave you space when you needed it, when you begged me for it. But life is too short and I refuse to spend any more time without you by my side. Baek…I want to ask you, again, would you like to share many more days with me as my husband?”  
  
No words are said, but the sounds are still too loud in the room. Not even the beeps of the machines drown out the sound of Baekhyun’s heavy breaths, Chanyeol’s nervous swallows, Mama Park’s gasp, and Junmyeon’s soft cursing.  
  
Baekhyun fumbles for words. “I’m not—”  
  
“Don’t even think about giving me that excuse again,” Chanyeol says, softly shaking his head. “You are worthy to be by my side, as you’ve always been. Who cares if I make double your salary? Who cares if my face appears in the papers once a week? Who cares what the people will say?” Chanyeol sits up straighter in bed and extends a hand towards Baekhyun. “The only thing that matters to me is you. So, please…say yes.”  
  
Baekhyun’s face is red now, his cheeks completely wet with tears. He sniffles loudly and a sob escapes his tight lips. He steps forward and grabs Chanyeol’s hand.  
  
They’re about to kiss when Kyungsoo yells. “Hold it!”  
  
Everyone freezes.  
  
“If you were planning on proposing to Baek,” he says, “then where the heck does that leave Jongin?”  
  
It’s time. Jongin steps back until he has everyone in front and does a perfect ninety-degree bow. It’s his last turn on the stage. Time for the big reveal. “I am sorry for deceiving you.”  
  
Silence.  
  
“Who the hell are you?” Mama park snaps, followed by Park Senior. “How dare you worm yourself into our family?”  
  
“This is my fault,” Baekhyun says loud above the others.  
  
Jongin shakes his head and stands straight once again. “No. This is…I did this. After I saved your son, they wouldn’t allow me in to see him unless I was family. So, I said I was his fiancé.”  
  
Kyungsoo shakes his head. “This is like a failed romance drama.”  
  
Junmyeon is shaking his head and glaring at the floor.  
  
“Wait.” Chanyeol peers at him, eyes narrowed. “I know you. You’re the ticket guy. At the train station. I see him every Tuesday when I travel out of the country.”  
  
“So you knew my son from before saving him?” Mama Park asks.  
  
Jongin nods.  
  
“Are you a stalker?” Kyungsoo asks.  
  
Baekhyun smacks him. “No, he’s not. Jongin is a good kid. Before the Christmas dinner, I talked to him. He was lonely, had no family…I saw myself.” Chanyeol runs a soothing hand down Baekhyun’s back.  
“He was me all those years ago before you took me in. I just wanted to do the same for him. So please, don’t take it out on him.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Jongin says again, knowing it won’t make things better, but still trying.  
  
Eventually, Mama Park sighs. “I think we all need a moment.” She glances at Jongin. “As a family.”  
  
“I understand,” Jongin says. Everyone but Baekhyun is avoiding his gaze. He’s not part of their family. “I’ll…see you around.”  
  
Every step away from that room echoes loud in his ears. Jongin doesn’t even dare to look up, to look back. He reaches the elevators, presses the button, and gets in when it dings open.  
  
A loud bump. Jongin jumps when a hand stops the doors from closing completely.  
  
Junmyeon is there, eyes alight with something very much like betrayal and hurt. But Jongin doesn’t want to read too much into it because it’ll hurt more. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Junmyeon asks. “Why didn’t you tell _me_?”  
  
Jongin hides his hands in the pockets of his coat. They’re suddenly trembling. “Because I didn’t know how to tell you,” he whispers.  
  
Junmyeon stands there, biting his lower lip and shaking his head. “You should’ve told me. You should’ve….”  
  
He steps back.  
  
The doors close.  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
Jongin’s Christmas tree is beginning to wilt and turn brown, but the nice pine smell has kept him from throwing it out just yet. It usually permeates the whole apartment, but right now it’s being overwhelmed by the scent of freshly baked cookies.  
  
“Do you have any icing?” Chanyeol yells from the kitchen. They hear him loud and clear even with the speakers blasting songs from Baekhyun's iphone.  
  
“Fridge, bottom right drawer,” Jongin yells back.  
  
Baekhyun laughs. “I can’t believe you’re letting him bake cookies in your kitchen.”  
  
Jongin takes a sip of his beer. “Should I be worried?”  
  
“He won’t burn it down, if that’s what you’re asking,” Baekhyun says.  
  
Chanyeol peeks his head into the bedroom. “I heard that!”  
  
Baekhyun cackles. “I was _also_ going to say, that you make the most delicious cookies ever.”  
  
“Better.” Chanyeol gives them a sharp nod and disappears back into the kitchen.  
  
“You guys didn’t have to come over,” Jongin says.  
  
“And leave you alone on your birthday? Never!” Baekhyun puts his empty beer bottle on top of Jongin’s dresser.  
  
After the whole disastrous reveal, Baekhyun hadn’t left Jongin time alone to mope in the misery of his life. He and Chanyeol constantly checked up on him, making him feel less horrible about what he’d done. When the newly engaged couple learned from Sehun that it was Jongin’s birthday and he planned on spending it alone, they’d barged into his apartment and taken over.  
  
Jongin pushes Baekhyun playfully, and tries to hide the emotions building in his chest. “You’re too much.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“What happened before…You put my happiness before your own,” Jongin says. “The happiness of a complete stranger before your own. And you keep taking care of me. Why?”  
  
“Does there have to be a reason?” Baek says.  
  
Jongin hugs Baek. “No. I’m just…not used to it.”  
  
“I’m sorry things didn’t work out.” Baek pets Jongin’s head.  
  
“Me too,” Jongin says.  
  
“No word from Junmyeon?” Baek asks.  
  
“No….”  
  
“He’s an idiot,” Baekhyun says.  
  
Jongin chuckles.  
  
“I’m serious. A complete and utter moron for leaving you—”  
  
Chanyeol’s yelp is loud. “Guys! I think I need some help here!”  
  
Baekhyun lowers the volume of the radio. “Come on. Let’s see what he’s done.”  
  
Jongin laughs. He leaves his bottle on the side table and follows Baekhyun to the kitchen, praying that whatever disaster Chanyeol has created is minor.  
  
“Happy birthday!”  
  
The loud chorus makes Jongin jump.  
  
There in the kitchen are all his friends. Sehun with his arm around the waist of his now official boyfriend Tao. Kyungsoo standing beside a smiling Jongdae and oddly enough smiling himself. Mama Park sitting on one of the island stools with Park Senior behind her, hands on her shoulders. They both nod at him. And Chanyeol holding a cake, lighted candles and all.  
  
“I thought,” Jongin is at a loss for words. “I thought you were baking cookies.”  
  
“I did. Then I made this.”  
  
“Cake is more appropriate in this case,” Baekhyun says, pulling him closer. “Make a wish.”  
  
There’s not enough air in the room and his eyes start to sting. Jongin places a hand over his mouth and closes his eyes. Baekhyun’s hand on his back is soothing, but it’s not making the tear situation any better. “I don’t have a wish. I have all I want right here,” Jongin whispers.  
  
There are a few chuckles from those gathered.  
  
“ _All_?” Baekhyun asks.  
  
Jongin breaths deep and closes his eyes again. This time he does make a wish.  
  
  


❅❅❅

  
  
It’s March. The snow completely melted a couple of weeks ago, but it’s still cold enough for coats and scarves. Jongin wraps his poodle patterned scarf—a gift from Baekhyun and Chanyeol—around his neck as he rolls his seat over to Sehun.  
  
“Don’t talk to me,” his best friend says. “I hate you.”  
  
“Drama queen,” Jongin says.  
  
Sehun stops typing on the computer and faces him. “You’re leaving me here to rot! How will I survive the dull hours now?”  
  
“I’m sure Tao will keep you busy.”  
  
Sehun makes to kick him. “He doesn’t like it when I bother him at work. And it’s not the same.”  
  
Jongin sighs. “I’ll only be gone for a month, Sehun. I think you can survive that long.” With a little—okay, maybe a lot—of pushing from his friends, Jongin signed up for a Eurotrip-slash-photography class. He is going to travel all over Europe taking pictures of famous landmarks and other cultural sites. By the end of the trip, he’ll get a certificate and the photos will be exhibited to the general public. It’s exciting and terrifying. It’s an adventure and Jongin could hardly contain his excitement these last few days.  
  
“Whatever.” Sehun faces the front again and helps a customer. Once he’s done, he looks at Jongin again. “You better keep me updated. I didn’t spend an entire week teaching you how to use Instagram for nothing, okay? I want pics every day.”  
  
“Yes, mom,” Jongin says and rolls away to his booth when Sehun tries to punch him.  
  
The other follows him but suddenly stops. “I think you have a customer.”  
  
A blue envelope lands on top of Jongin’s keyboard. He jerks back in surprise and then glances up. Breath stalls in his lungs, because standing across his counter is none other than Junmyeon.  
  
Junmyeon whom he hasn’t seen since the elevator doors closed between them all the way back in January. He looks good, too good. With a black coat, collar turned up, and his soft hair falling into his eyes. “Open it,” he says.  
  
Jongin takes the envelope with faintly shaking hands. Inside there are two train tickets to Paris. One-way. “What is this?”  
  
“That’s the first stop in our Photography Eurotrip,” Junmyeon says.  
  
“You signed up too?” he asks, not knowing what else to coherently ask.  
  
Junmyeon grins. “I’m teaching it.”  
  
Jongin looks at Sehun, mouth open, because _oh my freaking god, what is happening_. He shakes his head, trying to get his senses back, and turns again to Junmyeon.  
  
“I thought we could get to know each other,” Junmyeon says, “and travel at the same time. I remember you said you wanted to travel.”  
  
“You want to get to know me…on a train ride?” Jongin doesn’t even know what he’s saying anymore, because his world is still tilted.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
And the answer is so sure that Jongin trembles. “What happens if you don’t like me?”  
  
“I already like you,” Junmyeon says. “The question is, do you still like me and want to go with me?”  
  
Jongin’s words dry up, but his mind clears. It’s been almost two months with no word from Junmyeon. Not even after endless calls and texts. Not even after Chanyeol and his parents forgave him. Junmyeon was gone and Jongin had accepted that fact. He had closed that door. He’d continued to walk alone.  
  
But here was Junmyeon, reaching out a hand, asking to walk again with him.  
  
“I screwed up. I said I wouldn’t get mad and I did,” Junmyeon says. “I shouldn’t have pushed you out of my life like that. I should’ve…understood, and when I finally did, so much time had passed. I didn’t know how to come back to you. I was scared…no…I _am_ scared that I lost my chance.”  
  
Jongin bites his lip to keep it from trembling.  
  
“Jongin,” Junmyeon says, and it’s the softest that anyone has ever said his name. It’s the same way Chanyeol said Baekhyun’s name when he proposed. Full of the same love. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize I was infinitely more grateful than angry that you crashed into our lives. Into my life.”  
  
Jongin breaks down. He covers his face in his hands and cries. Then there are arms around him, holding him steady and safe. And it’s Junmyeon, who Sehun must have let inside the booth. He whispers in Jongin’s ear. “Come away with me?”  
  
Jongin doesn’t need to think of his answer.  
  
“Yes.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

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